Woe to the Wicked
2 Woe to those who conceive wickedness,
to those who devise evil on their beds!
At morning’s light they execute it,
because it is in the power of their hand.
2 They covet fields and seize them,
and houses and take them.
They defraud a man of his house,
and a fellow man of his inheritance.
3 Therefore, thus says the Lord:
I am devising disaster against this family,
from which you cannot remove your necks;
and you will not walk haughtily,
for it will be a time of calamity.
4 In that day they will take up a taunt against you,
and they will wail a wailing lament, and say:
“We are totally ruined!
He diminishes the portion of my people;
how He removes it from me!
To a traitor He reassigns our fields!”
5 Therefore you will not have anyone to apportion the land by lot
in the assembly of the Lord.
Prophets of Deceit
6 “Do not prophesy,” they say.
“One should not prophesy about these things.
Disgrace will not overtake us.”
7 Should it be said, O house of Jacob,
“Is the Spirit of the Lord impatient?
Are these His deeds?”
Do not My words benefit
him who walks uprightly?
8 But lately My people rise up
like an enemy.
You strip off the rich robe
from those who pass by trustingly,
like men returning from war.
9 The women of My people you drive out
from their delightful homes;
from their children
you take My adornment forever.
10 Get up and go,
for this is not the resting place,
because uncleanness ruins,
and ruin sickens.
11 If a man, going about vapidly and deceitfully, lies,
“I will preach for you wine and beer,”
he would be just the preacher for this people.
The Restoration of Israel
12 I will indeed assemble Jacob—all of you;
I will indeed gather the remnant of Israel.
I will place them together like sheep in a fold,
like a herd in its pasture—
thronging with people.
13 He who breaks through has gone up before them;
they will break through and pass the gate and go out by it.
Then their king will pass on before them,
the Lord at their head.
